Barclays Premier League
West Ham United v Liverpool
Boleyn Ground
Wednesday 30 January
7.45pm
Referee: Alan Wiley
WHUTV - Live audio commentary plus delayed highlights
Lineups
Tenth-placed West Ham United return to league action against Liverpool, seven points ahead in sixth, on Wednesday having not played since the 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Sunday 20 January - when Carlton Cole scored an eighth-minute overhead kick. It is thought the game will be too soon for Danny Gabbidon and Craig Bellamy, despite a reserve-team run-out. Nolberto Solano, who has not figured since a hamstring injury on 29 December, may also just miss out.
Matthew Etherington and Dean Ashton have trained after knee and back problems respectively caused them to miss the City trip. Julien Faubert has a slight calf strain and is doubtful, while Bobby Zamora continues to train fully, on his way back to match fitness. John Pantsil and Henri Camara are still on Africa Cup of Nations duty while, after a serious reserve-team injury last week, James Collins (knee ligaments) has joined Scott Parker (knee), Calum Davenport (neck), Kieron Dyer (leg), Nigel Quashie (foot) on the injury list - although Parker has returned to Chadwell Heath after a period of rest.
Liverpool have played twice since the Hammers were last in action - a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa on 21 January before Saturday's 5-2 FA Cup fourth-round win against non-league Havant and Waterlooville - with Yossi Benayoun scoring a hat-trick in between a stunner from Lucas and a late fifth by Peter Crouch. The Reds, who have sold Mohamed Sissoko to Juventus, left Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina out but called upon Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt as late substitutes.
While Benayoun will hope to figure against his former club, Javier Mascherano will be denied the chance because of a one-match suspension caused by his fifth caution of the season against Villa. Andriy Voronin has been ruled out for six weeks with ankle ligament damage - joining Alvaro Arbeloa (abdominal) and Daniel Agger (foot) on the sidelines. As a result of their defensive injuries, Liverpool have made a move in the transfer window, bringing in Slovakia centre-back Martin Skrtel from Zenit St Petersburg and he made his first start at the weekend.
Last time out
West Ham United v Manchester City: Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Upson, McCartney, Ljungberg, Noble, Mullins, Bowyer (Spector 90), Boa Morte (Faubert 71), Cole
Subs not used: Wright, Collins, Reid
Liverpool v Havant and Waterlooville: Itandje, Finnan, Skrtel, Hyypia (Carragher 84), Riise, Pennant, Mascherano (Gerrard 87), Lucas, Benayoun (Kuyt 72), Crouch, Babel
Subs not used: Martin, Torres
Background
Curbishley's side are in fine league form, with six wins and five draws from the last 14 fixtures. The only three reverses came against strong opposition in the form of Chelsea, Everton and Arsenal. With ninth-placed Portsmouth going to Manchester United on the same night, the Hammers will know there is the possibility that a victory could move them to within a point of Pompey with a game in hand. Blackburn Rovers are in eighth, five points in front of Curbishley's men but have played two games more.
Depending on results, the Reds could jump to fourth place in the table with a win - underlining the difficulties facing the hosts. West Ham United have not played Liverpool this season as the away fixture was originally due to be played in mid-August but was postponed because of the Reds' Champions League commitments. It has now been fixed for 8pm at Anfield on Wednesday 5 March.
The teams' last met exactly a year ago, on Tuesday 30 January 2007, at the Boleyn Ground. On that date, West Ham United were 18th in the top flight, with just 20 points from their opening 25 games - 13 fewer than they have from 22 games this time around. Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch goals early in the second half put Liverpool on course for a 2-1 win, with on-loan Kepa Blanco then scoring with his first touch in a claret and blue shirt.
The lineups were:
West Ham United: Carroll, Spector, Dailly, Davenport, McCartney, Benayoun, Quashie, Reo-Coker, Boa Morte, Cole (Zamora 73), Harewood (Kepa 76)
Subs not used: Green, Pantsil, Mullins
Manchester City: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Agger, Carragher, Bellamy (Gonzalez 85), Gerrard, Alonso, Riise, Kuyt (Fowler 90), Crouch (Pennant 71)
Subs not used: Dudek, Zenden
The Hammers have still not lost in all ten league games this season when they have taken the lead while three of the last six league games have seen the side come from behind to win 2-1. George McCartney - who like Mark Noble and Luis Boa Morte is on four cautions and would earn a one-match ban if yellow-carded again before the trip to Fulham on 23 February - is bidding to make his 29th appearance this season in all competitions. He is the only West Ham United player who has featured in every game to date, starting in each one.
In terms of the Premier League, only Green and Upson have played every minute of the 22 matches. No other top-flight club still has two league ever-presents while Upson, along with Stephen Kelly of Birmingham City, is one of only two outfield players in the whole division to have achieved that feat. Ashton, with six goals, five in the league, is the club's leading scorer.
Torres is Liverpool's top marksman with 17 goals, eleven in the league. Xabi Alonso and Carragher are both on four yellow cards. Only Reina has played every minute of the top-flight campaign so far and no other player has featured in each one of their games.
Liverpool have not lost to West Ham United in eleven games since Trevor Sinclair's goal gave the Hammers a 1-0 home win on 27 November 1999 - a game in which both Hyypia and Gerrard played the full 90 minutes, while Carragher was an unused substitute. Anton Ferdinand's older brother Rio was in the Hammers rearguard that day.
With Mascherano suspended, only Bellamy for West Ham United and Benayoun for Liverpool could potentially be facing former their former clubs. Bellamy spent a year at Anfield, making 42 league and cup appearances, scoring nine times. Benayoun was at the Boleyn Ground for two years until last summer. He played 72 times in all competitions and found the net on eight occasions.
Head to head (last six meetings, league unless stated)
30 January 2007 - West Ham United 1-2 Liverpool
26 August 2006 - Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United
13 May 2005 - Liverpool 3-3 West Ham United, 3-1 on pens (FA Cup final)
26 April 2006 - West Ham United 1-2 Liverpool
29 October 2005 - Liverpool 2-0 West Ham United
2 February 2003 - West Ham United 0-3 Liverpool
Overall record v Liverpool (all competitions): W 22, D 33, L 59
Barclays Premier League fixtures (all 7.45pm unless stated)
Wednesday 30 January
Chelsea v Reading
Derby County v Manchester City
Everton v Tottenham Hotspur (8pm)
Manchester United v Portsmouth (8pm)
General information
Please note this match is SOLD OUT. For general ticket information, click here. For details of getting to Boleyn Ground, click here
Weather: The forecast is for a chilly evening, with the threat of rain. The temperature is set to peak at around 6C.